Love is a Verb

"Proactive people make love a verb. Love is something you do: the sacrifices you make, the giving of self, like a mother bringing a newborn into the world. If you want to study love, study those who sacrifice for others, even for people who offend or do not love in return." — Stephen R. Covey, The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People

I can find no higher exemplar of love in my life than my mother.  As this is a day that we remember our mothers, I was pleasantly surprised to find a passage about love and mothers in my morning reading.

Thinking back, it was my mother who taught me a great many things.  Seeing opportunity in obstacles, for example.  I loved to draw as a child — still do — and I clearly recall one of my younger sisters scrawling on one of my drawings.  I was distraught, angry, night inconsolable.  I'm sure any mothers reading this can think of a myriad of ways in which to resolve such a dilemma.  My mother chose to teach me something.  Something now vital to my approach to a great many things.  She showed me that I could take the lines scrawled by my younger sibling and make something from them.  Instead of being angry that my drawing was ruined, it allowed me to be creative, to make opportunity of adversity.

My mother knew me, loved me, understood what I needed, and in that one moment helped me become a better, more resourceful human being.

I love you, Mom.

Namaste